Elevated Balloon-Kite Hybrid System

Helikite is a balloon-kite hybrid aerial platform which combines the properties and thus advantages of both a balloon and a kite. A balloon is affixed with a kite at the bottom and this assembly is secured to the ground using a tether. To counter the phenomenon of lowering of height with increase in wind speed which is a major problem with tethered simple balloons and even aerodynamic balloons, better known as Aerostats, the kite part of the Helikite system, helps by providing a surface area so as to produce dynamic lift which goes on increasing with the increase in wind speed. This lift tries to push the system upwards thus, utilizing the wind to gain height instead of decreasing it. This is how the dynamic plus static lift and tether combination helps the helikite in maintaining the altitude of deployment. A twin barrel winch is used to secure the tether to the ground. This system on a whole (balloon+kite+tether), is lighter than air. A keel is attached perpendicular to the bottom surface of the kite. This keel aids in aligning the entire system in the wind direction.

Helikite, on account of its dynamic lift, is a compact and relatively stable aerial platform which can find applications in the fields of agriculture, civilian surveillance, defense surveillance and weather analysis.

Helikite can also be used in cases of natural disasters to get an overview of the area under distress. Night lighting and Advertisement are also some of the domains where Helikites can find applications in.